Loading machines are commonly used in operations where a receiver needs to be continuously fed with a payload. Loading machines may be used in a wide range of applications that utilize the continuous positioning of sequential payloads into or onto a receiver. For example, loading machines are commonly used in armaments to insert a series of bullet, rounds, shells, or any other type of munitions into the breech of a weapon.
Modern armaments include rail guns. A rail gun is an electrical gun that accelerates a conductive projectile along a pair of metal rails. To do this, rail guns pass a large electric current through the conductive projectile. It is desirable to avoid any electrical arcing between the rails and the conductive projectile, so the conductive projectile is typically positioned tightly between the two rails. Such tight positioning requires a relatively high insertion and/or extraction force, in some cases reaching up to several thousand pounds.
Additionally, rail guns typically utilize a relatively long conductor-free zone in the area located to the rear of the rails. This reduces the likelihood of arcing and other electrical and/or magnetic related complications. Accordingly, a loading machine used to position a conductive projectile into the breech of a rail gun would use a relatively long stroke to reach the breech. Also, the tactical implementation of a rail gun for defense applications requires adjustability in both azimuth and elevation for elevated and extended range targets. It is therefore desirable that a loading machine be compact to minimize interference with the elevation and azimuth adjustability of the rail gun. Additionally, as rail guns become increasingly capable of repeated and rapid firing, a loading machine will be needed that can keep pace with the rate of fire.
These specifications are not unique to rail guns. Rather, many different types of receivers have similar specifications. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a compact loading machine having a relatively long stroke and a relatively high insertion/extraction force. In addition, it is desirable to provide a loading machine that is capable of rapidly and repeatedly loading and/or unloading a payload into a receiver. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.